Connect Smethwick with Slow Ways

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Smethwick

West Midlands


Slow Ways linking Smethwick and Birmingham, Great Barr, Oldbury (Sandwell), Rowley Regis, West Bromwich

Great Britain / West Midlands / Smethwick

Smethwick’s five Slow Ways are 75% checked

Drawn: 5/5
reviewed: 5/5
verified: 4/5
and surveyed: 1/5

Help connect Smethwick

Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.

Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.

Give a hike and help get a for every one of Smethwick’s Slow Ways.

Walk to Smethwick from further afield

Slow Way Route To do
Oldbury (Sandwell)—Smethwick
Oldsme one Survey me Distance 4km/3mi Ascent 50m Descent 52m
Rowley Regis—Smethwick
Rowsme one Survey me Distance 5km/3mi Ascent 69m Descent 50m
Smethwick—Birmingham
Smebir one Survey me Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 76m Descent 46m
Smethwick—Great Barr
Smegre one Review me Distance 8km/5mi Ascent 88m Descent 93m
West Bromwich—Smethwick
Wessme one Pioneer me Distance 5km/3mi Ascent 55m Descent 65m
West Bromwich—Smethwick
Wessme two Enjoy me Distance 3km/2mi Ascent - Descent -

Collective progress

67% of Smethwick’s five route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified

6/6

drawn

5/6

reviewed

1/6

surveyed

4/6

verified

9 people have contributed to Smethwick’s Slow Ways

1 people have pledged to walk and review a route

1 people have surveyed a route in Smethwick

28km out of 33km have been walked and reviewed

110km of reviews have been shared in Smethwick

Latest Updates

Just finished riding my bike on this route. It is pretty straightforward, mostly flat and has a very short stretch within a park which is not paved. Fairly enjoyable and accessible otherwise....

Urzum

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After leaving the start in Smethwick (photo 1), a footbridge with steps (photo 2) seems the only way to get to the canal towpath. The route is quickly regained and takes you under the tall M5 bridge (photo 9), before soon arriving at the bridge to take you to the opposite side of the canal (photo 10)....

Steve Litchfield

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Steve Litchfield took this photo on Wessme two

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I completed this walk yesterday walking northwards from Smethwick....

Steve Litchfield

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Steve Litchfield took this photo on Rowsme one

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The route then takes you diagonally over the M5, down the wonderfully named Penncricket Lane, then over the A4123 Wolverhampton Road and eventually into Barnford Hill Park. The route through the park takes you past a high point which is worth the slight detour and allows you to survey the Black Country landscape. Upon leaving the park, the route re-joins the roads and takes you through Queen's Head and Londonderry. As we surveyed the scene, we traced the route that the car took to end up in such an unlikely position by looking at the trail of destruction, and deduced if we had been crossing that spot just a few minutes before, we would likely have been in the path of the speeding vehicle. Do look out for the collection of Lions heads on Londonderry Lane, and the sight of the Blue Gates Hotel (now just a pub) in Smethwick....

Steve Litchfield

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A really enjoyable route along the canal, we walked as a group from Brum to Smethwick after work, great to have the vast majority of an urban route off road....

Dan Barron

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Completed this walk today from Smethwick heading east into Brum. The trickiest part of the whole walk has to be the footbridge at Smethwick as it is steps only and has no wheeled access....

Steve Litchfield

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Steve Litchfield took this photo on Smebir one

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Although this route is very much in the heart of the Black Country, it was a delightful walk along the canal that was for the most part very quiet. Previous reviewers noted the temporary closure of the footpath between Spon Lane and Steward Aqueduct; as of mid-September it’s still closed, and shows no indications of reopening any time soon. The diversion along the older (pre-Telford) canal was however very easy to follow, and did not detract from an enjoyable afternoon....

swebbews

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We started this walk from The Mailbox in Birmingham, so it was entirely along the canal towpath apart from the very last part into Smethwick. It seems unbelievable to be so close to the centre of Britain’s second city while enjoying so much peace and quiet and seeing ducks, geese, moorhens and herons. There is so much to like about this walk....

swebbews

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The tow path was temporarily closed between Steward Aqueduct and Spon Lane due to a crumbling wall, but you can easily rejoin the path at Spon Lane....

Saira

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It's a beautiful, interesting route that follows the Birmingham canal all the way to Smethwick!...

Saira

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Having left the High Street via the footbridge across the main road you wander through the residential streets of north Smethwick which become increasingly industrial before, within sight of the West Brom Ground (the highest above sea level in England) you turn left to join the greenway that runs alongside the Metro (tram) line. (I have walked this path dozens of times and this was the first time it had flooded) The final section through suburban Great Barr avoids the main road for as long as possible....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Smegre one

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The walk out of Oldbury is fairly functional along the main road but having the passed Sandwell and Dudley Railway Station (direct trains to Edinburgh and London, not just local stations) you walk down the side of the car park and follow a track to the towpath of the main branch of the Birmingham Canal. In 4km, 3 of which are offroad, you access bus routes, 3 railway stations (Galton Bridge is accessible via steps from the canal and Rolfe Street is at the end of the route), wildlife, industrial history (Galton Valley Pumping Station) and it's one of the easiest Slow Ways I've ever had to follow!...

David Sanderson

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I can't add anything to the reviews above by Pddys and David - a really good Slow Ways route. Thoroughly enjoyed walking it...

Dave4

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Just over half way through, you cross Barnford Hill Park which was a particular highlight for me. The route is across the park is not -the- most direct, but it gave me more opportunity to enjoy it and it was very easy to follow. Saying that, technically one of the next roads, the M5 was the busiest to cross, but to do that all I had to do was follow pavement of the B4169 Oakemoor Road which passes high over it....

David Sanderson

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This includes going underneath the M5 and the Spon Lane junction, underneath Smethwick Galton Bridge, through the Summit tunnel, underneath the Summit Bridge, and past the Galton Valley Pumping Station, and some Ironworks bridges....

pddys

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The route takes you to the canal via Newhall Street and the edge of the Jewellery Quarter. I had wondered whether it could have been better to seek a more direct route to the canal, maybe via Gas Street Basin but I realised that in the opposite direction, this route gives you access to the pubs, cafes and shops of Newhall Street, Bennetts Hill, New Street and Temple Street which might be very welcome....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Smebir one

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A n unexpectedly scenic route given the urban, industrial areas it traverses. I did this from Birmingham to Smethwick on a very hot day and was surprised to see not only the usual ducks, Canada geese and so forth but a cormorant and a heron. The route is accurately planned, straightforward, easy to follow and very pleasant to walk....

Dave4

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Leaving Smethwick you cross the road by Galton Bridge Railway Station and then cross said bridge to cross Galton Valley. A short path brings you out by the traffic lights to cross Kenrick Way....

David Sanderson

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It is an excellent, short, safe, straightforward route meeting all of the Slow Ways criteria. It is varied, scenic, safe and accurately plotted. A really good walk...

Dave4

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West Bromwich—Smethwick

Urzum added Wessme two, a new walk from West Bromwich to Smethwick

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There is a 40m region that has a very narrow kerbed sidewalk - 55cm in width - where using the road surface might be required for mobility vehicles....

Urzum

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Smethwick

Urzum surveyed Smethwick

View facilities

The route begins close to Galton Valley Pumping Station, now a heritage centre, though it is only open one Saturday per month so worth checking if you want to include a visit as part of your walk....

Alison Thompson

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Alison Thompson took this photo on Smebir one

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Smethwick—Great Barr

peperkoekdame added Smegre one, a new walk from Smethwick to Great Barr

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Oldbury (Sandwell)—Smethwick

Slow Ways added Oldsme one, a new walk from Oldbury (Sandwell) to Smethwick

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Rowley Regis—Smethwick

Slow Ways added Rowsme one, a new walk from Rowley Regis to Smethwick

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Smethwick—Birmingham

Slow Ways added Smebir one, a new walk from Smethwick to Birmingham

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West Bromwich—Smethwick

Slow Ways added Wessme one, a new walk from West Bromwich to Smethwick

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1

Smethwick, Sun 11 June

28°

Heavy rain

Smethwick’s Slow Ways starting point

Grid ref

SP0200288710

Lat / Lon

52.49631° / -1.97193°

Easting / Northing

402,002E / 288,710N

Facilities

Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Smethwick's meeting point

Public toilet

Wheelchair accessible toilet

Supermarket or convenience shop

Restaurant, cafe or pub

Accommodation

Accommodation for under £50 a night

Campsite

Bothy

Free wifi

Mobility scooter hire

Off-road wheelchair hire

Disabled Parking

Train station

Bus stop

Ferry

Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town

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